Recent Tech Transfer Deals (5/07)
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
Each month, Start-Up presents a survey of technology transfer deals--licensing agreements between companies and universities or other research institutions--in the fields of life sciences, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and research/analytical instrumentation and reagents.
In Vitro Diagnostics
Beacon Sciences LLC
University of Texas
University of Texas at Austin
Beacon Sciences licenses chemistry platform from UTexas
April—Beacon Sciences (chemistry-based binding assays) has licensed exclusive rights to a molecular recognition assay technology belonging to the University of Texas at Austin .
The platform, developed in the lab of the university's Eric Anslyn, PhD, uses what it refers to as a custom lock-and-key recognition chemistry to identify various chemical or biological agents for potential applications in medical or industrial diagnostics and as research tools. The technology generates a chemiluminescent signal that indicates when an agent is detected. Unlike traditional assays, Beacon's don't require biologic molecules such as antibodies or proteins, chemical reactions, or instrumentation to create highly specific, stable, binding assays for a wide range of analytes. Beacon Sciences plans to combine the university's technology with its own molecular recognition techniques to provide custom, rapid assays for its clients. Dr. Anslyn will serve as the company's chief scientific officer.
Pharmaceuticals
Apogee Technology Inc.
Georgia Tech Research Corp.
Apogee improves PyraDerm manufacturing via Georgia Tech IP
April—Georgia Tech Research has licensed Apogee Technology (dermal drug delivery and sensor devices) exclusive rights to a US patent application and other IP covering design and manufacture of microneedle delivery technology.
The IP was discovered by Georgia Tech's Mark Prausnitz, PhD, who also sits on Apogee's scientific advisory board. Using the technology, the company plans to make manufacturing of its PyraDerm system, which is in preclinical testing, more efficient and increase the amount of drug dose delivered. PyraDerm is a self-administered patch containing an array of silicon microneedles coated with a proprietary substance that contains the active pharmaceutical ingredient, which can be delivered in an immediate- or controlled-release form via a programmable mechanism. Following in vivo studies expected to start this year, Apogee expects to partner PyraDerm with biopharmas to investigate administration of insoluble pharmaceuticals and those with low bioavailability including vaccines and large molecules such as proteins, peptides, and antibodies. In June 2006 Apogee completed another tech transfer deal that added value to its delivery system--it got rights to the University of Akron's IP related to drug preservation and encapsulation.
BioLineRx Ltd.
Hebrew University
Yissum Research Development Co.
Tel Aviv University
Ramot at Tel Aviv University Ltd.
BioLineRx gets rights to BL4020
March—Yissum Research Development, part of Hebrew University, and Ramot at Tel Aviv University have licensed BioLineRx exclusive global development and marketing rights to BL4020, a preclinical peptide for inflammatory diseases.
BL4020 was discovered by Hebrew University's professors Hillel Bercovier and Ayelet Barenholz, PhD, and Tel Aviv University's professor Jonathan Gershoni. The drug candidate is in development for allergic asthma and colitis and is designed to mimic ManLAM, a protein on the cell surface of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The protein modulates immune system functions and suppresses some inflammatory diseases. Current treatments for inflammatory disease include steroids, which can cause hormonal imbalance, osteoporosis, stomach ulcers, or mood swings; BioLineRx says BL4020 should be able to avoid many of the side effects.
BioLineRx Ltd.
BioLine Innovations Jerusalem
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
Weizmann Institute of Science
Yeda Research & Development Co. Ltd.
BioLineRx in-licenses two more compounds
March—Just five days after announcing it has in-licensed BL4020 from both Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University for inflammatory diseases, BioLineRx has licensed exclusive worldwide rights to two preclinical compounds from Yeda Research & Development at Weizmann Institute of Science and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
BioLineRx will develop BL3040 for estrogen-regulated malignancies (including breast, ovarian, uterine, and endometrial cancers) and osteoporosis, and BL3050 for atherosclerosis. BL3040 was discovered by Weizmann's Dr. Fortune Kohen and Tel Aviv's professors Naftali Stern and Dalia Somjen. It is derived from phytoestrogens (taken from plants) and may provide treatment without the side effects of hormone-based therapeutics. BL3050 was identified by Weizmann's professor Dan Tawfik, who used a "directed evolution" form of genetic engineering to create the enzyme paraxonase 1 (PON1). BL3050 is based on PON1 and prevents LDL (bad) cholesterol oxidation.
Mimetic Solutions LLC
University of Texas
University of Texas at Austin
Mimetic Solutions licenses U. Texas technology
March—Emergent Technologies' portfolio company Mimetic Solutions (controlled-release systems) has licensed drug delivery technology from the University of Texas at Austin .
Mimetic will incorporate UTA's technology into its own Affinimer chemistry platform, which creates chemically engineered polymers that release a set dosage of a therapeutic or cosmeceutical agent when certain programmed conditions--such as triggering by a target molecule or binding to a specific biomarker in a patient--are met. The company says Affinimers are advantageous because they can be customized to bind almost any molecule and they exhibit stability in harsh settings. Mimetic plans to apply Affinimer to two of its systems in development: TheraSmart for controlled release of insulin in diabetics and BeautySmart for triggered delivery of vitamins, anti-aging compounds, or fragrances. The licensed technology, intrinsic to the Affinimer platform, was developed by UTA's Nicholas Peppas, ScD, Mark Byrne, PhD, and Zach Hilt, PhD. Drs. Peppas and Hilt will join the start-up as co-chief scientists.
Repligen Corp.
Scripps Research Institute
Scripps licenses Repligen IP rights to neuromuscular agents
April—CNS drug developer Repligen has received exclusive worldwide rights to the Scripps Research Institute's patented technology related to histone deacetylase inhibitors that could possibly treat the inherited degenerative disease Friedreich's ataxia.
Repligen pays $600k up front, consisting of $300k in cash plus $300k in stock (approximately 87.5k shares at $3.43 each, a 4% premium; after one year, if the value of the shares is less than $300k, the company will make up the difference in cash). Scripps is also eligible for sublicensing fees, development and sales milestones, and royalties. Friedreich's ataxia affects the spinal column, cerebellum, and medulla, and causes problems with muscle function such as incoordination and twitching. In animal studies Scripps found that a group of histone deacetylase inhibitors reversed the transcription silencing by a defective gene (triplet repeat of bases GAA) that leads to reduced production of frataxin, a protein that gives brain, muscle, and spinal cells the ability to manage oxidative stress produced by mitochondria. The results suggest that compounds that increase frataxin levels could slow or halt progression of the disease. The histone deacetylase inhibitors join Repligen's neurological pipeline including Phase II uridine (RG2417) for bipolar disorder and epilepsy, and Phase I RG2077 for multiple sclerosis.
Stemagen
University of Pennsylvania
Stemagen licenses UPenn's IP, collaborates on stem cells
March—Stemagen (stem cell-based therapeutics to treat various degenerative diseases) has acquired exclusive rights to a University of Pennsylvania patent for a technique to produce uniparental embryonic stem cells.
Uniparental embryos--created from only one parent source (sperm or egg), thus without fertilization--represent an alternative to stem cells derived from a fertilized egg. The technology was discovered in the lab of UPenn's Dr. John McLaughlin, who is also researching in a collaboration sponsored by the company, the use of uniparental cells in regenerative medicine. Stemagen's platform is focused on improving the viability and banking process of early embryos, generating new human stem cell lines, and embryo micromanipulation through nuclear transfer. The addition of UPenn's IP and the joint research partnership will help the company advance these technologies for therapeutic uses.
StormBio Inc.
Imperial College London
Imperial Innovations Group PLC
StormBio gets patents and IP from Imperial Innovations
March—Imperial Innovations Group PLC , the tech transfer arm of Imperial College London, licensed StormBio (developing anti-inflammatory and influenza treatments) patents and IP related to the development of therapeutics for pandemic influenza and other inflammatory diseases.
StormBio seeks to create a treatment that targets the body's inflammatory process and, unlike other flu drugs, does not shut down the immune response. The company's therapeutic approach involves controlling inflammation caused by hypercytokinemia (cytokine storm), during which cytokines are released and too many killer T-cells are activated. It has been reported that extreme inflammation is a lead contributor to death and disability from the H5N1 influenza strain or avian flu.
VGX Pharmaceuticals Inc.
University of Pennsylvania
VGX to develop vaccines using UPenn's DNA technology
April—The University of Pennsylvania licensed VGX Pharmaceuticals (treatments for cancer, infectious diseases, and inflammation) exclusive worldwide rights to develop vaccines and therapeutics for HIV, hepatitis C, human papilloma virus, and influenza, using DNA plasmids and constructs.
Founded in 2000, VGX is based on technology and candidates that it licensed from the university. The newly licensed technology was developed by UPenn professor and VGX co-founder David B. Weiner, PhD. He has identified sequences and antigens for important HIV, HCV, HPV, and flu proteins associated with various viral subtypes or taxonomic groups. Animal studies demonstrated that immunization with DNA constructs for each virus evokes an immune response against multiple subtypes of the viruses. As compared with traditional vaccines, DNA vaccines are easier to manufacture, can be kept at room temperature, and may consist of multiple antigens in a single injection to offer greater protection. VGX will add the candidates to its infectious disease pipeline containing Pictovir for HIV and VGX410 for HCV, both of which are in Phase II. The company recently merged with a DNA delivery and manufacturing company (ADViSys Inc.) and set up a new division (VGX Immune Therapeutics) to specifically focus in the area of DNA-based vaccines and therapeutics.
Xanthus Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Johns Hopkins University
Xanthus gets patent estate from Johns Hopkins
April—Xanthus Pharmaceuticals (oncology and autoimmune disease therapeutics) has licensed exclusive worldwide rights to a patent estate related to the treatment of immune disorders from Johns Hopkins University .
The licensed IP pertains to the inhibition of the FLT3 tyrosine kinase, which is expressed on dendritic cells and responsible for the stimulation of T-cells. Researchers at Johns Hopkins found in preclinical studies that inhibiting the FLT3 pathway might improve the condition of existing disease, in a way reversing the severity of immune conditions including multiple sclerosis. Xanthus and the university also agreed to study Xanthus's new class of compounds, imidazoacridinones (including the Phase II Symadex), to test the effect of FLT3 inhibition in cancer and various autoimmune diseases.